OCDE and UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts Launch ‘Earn and Learn’ Apprenticeships

The collaboration creates stronger pathways connecting classrooms, communities and careers in the arts

The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and UC Irvine are partnering to create new registered apprenticeships that combine paid, hands-on experience with industry-recognized credentials. Central to this effort is UCI’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts (UCI Arts), where the office of Access & Engagement is at the head of connecting students to meaningful career pathways in the arts and education.

“At UC Irvine, we believe education is most powerful when it connects learning with lived experience,” said Suzanne Helbig, associate vice provost, UCI Division of Career Pathways. “Through these apprenticeships, students will apply their knowledge in real-world settings, gain confidence in their abilities and build networks that open doors long after graduation.”

Through UCI Arts Access & Engagement’s Arts Launch Internship Program and Creative Connections, undergraduate and graduate students in art, dance, drama and music are placed in paid roles as arts management professionals and teaching artists. These apprenticeships, developed in partnership with OCDE, elevate existing internships into industry-recognized career pathways, underscoring the School’s mission to expand access to the arts and build stronger connections between students, communities, and cultural institutions.

“We want our UCI Arts students to think expansively about what career success looks like for them,” said Megan Belmonte, director of Access & Engagement at UCI Arts. “Partnering with OCDE allows us to add another layer of support to our students' professional development. The OCDE apprenticeship certification, combined with the paid work experience in the creative sector and the transferable skill building that our programs already offer, will help our students thrive when it is time for them to move beyond UC Irvine.”

Backed by state seed funding, the initiative supports California’s goal of creating 500,000 apprentices by 2029 while ensuring students gain both technical expertise and the essential skills valued by employers. It also represents the first partnership in California where a county office of education and a UC campus have converted internships into registered apprenticeships.

For UCI Arts, this program deepens its commitment to advancing creative career pathways for students. By linking classroom learning with paid professional experiences, UCI Arts works towards supporting students who graduate as accomplished artists and educators but also as leaders equipped to strengthen communities through the arts.

To learn more about Access and Engagement at UCI Arts, visit arts.uci.edu/outreach.